The present invention relates to a device which completely destroys hypodermic needles by means of a short circuit which determines fusion of the metallic portion of the needle. Complete destruction is assured by a mechanical mechanism, the "lever-controlled mobile contact", which maintains a constant electrical contact and accompanies the movement of the needle until the latter is completely destroyed.
It is known how used hypodermic needles constitute a danger, since they can easily become vehicles for infection either through reuse of the needle itself or following involuntary puncture of the health worker charged with disposing of and destroying infected needles.
In order to obviate these difficulties, devices suitable for destroying the needles through use of a short cicuit which causes them to melt are used. In particular, the Patent Application no. GB-A-2211420 describes a device which uses a movable, V-shaped contact.
The devices currently in use present a number of disadvantages, due either to their large size, which makes portable use impossible (such use is particularly important in the case of needles to be destroyed in hospital wards or in out-of-doors sites in which infected needles are collected, after they have been left etc.); or, above all, to the fact that said devices do not totally destroy the needle but leave instead a residual part of the point which, however small, may nonetheless represent a danger to the user; or to the fact that said devices require that the user subject the needle to continuous, specific movements in order to maintain the contact which causes the short circuit and thus destruction of the needle.